Eggert/Benecken secure first World Championship doubles title

Innsbruck (RWH) Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken have arrived their sporting ambition. Having previously won three silver medals, the duo from Thuringia have finally clinched a long-awaited World Championship title. Eggert/Benecken took an emphatic win ahead of defending champions and Olympic gold medallists Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt and their teammates Robin Geueke/David Gamm (all GER) at the 47th World Championships of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in Innsbruck. It is the first time in history that a single team has achieved a clean sweep of gold, silver and bronze in a doubles race at the FIL World Championships.

This represents the culmination of an almost perfect season for Eggert/Benecken, who set a new track record of 39.468 seconds on their first run in front of some 3,500 spectators. They had already won seven of nine races in the Viessmann Luge World Cup and the BMW Sprint World Cup. Only at the European Championships on their home track in Königssee did they have to play second fiddle to Wendl/Arlt. The new World Champions can also claim victory in the overall standings if they win next weekend’s Viessmann World Cup in Oberhof.

Three German doubles pairings stood on top of the podium at the victory ceremony at the championships in Innsbruck 30 years ago. On that occasion, the East German duo of Jörg Hoffmann/Jochen Pietzsch took victory ahead of Stefan Ilsanker/Georg Hackl and Thomas Schwab/Wolfgang Staudinger (both FRG).

Quotes

Toni Eggert (GER / World Championship silver medallist 2012, 2013 and 2016, European Champion 2013 and 2016)

“It’s amazing to win the world title here in Innsbruck, because this is actually where Sascha and I started our doubles career.”

Sascha Benecken (GER / World Championship silver medallist 2012, 2013 and 2016, European Champion 2013 and 2016)

“Back then Toni drove straight from the Junior World Championships and we did our first doubles runs together.”

Tobias Wendl (GER / 2014 Olympic Champion / three-time World Champion and two-time European Champion)

“We have been undefeated at major events like the World Championships and the Olympics since 2013, so it’s perfectly normal to have to settle for silver now and again. And anyway, we managed a gold in the sprint.”

Robin Geueke (GER / World Championship fourth 2016)

“This is mega, but I have to admit the other two doubles pairings are just that bit faster than us. But we’re always ready.”